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Passenger train debuts at Sky Harbor

A passenger train made its debut today at Sky Harbor Airport. Sky Train, as its called, should begin moving passengers to and from Terminal Four by early next year. KJZZ’s Al Macias reports the trains will actually travel over the airport taxiway.

AL MACIAS: The first phase of Phoenix Sky Train will move passengers from the light rail stop and economy parking lot on the east side of the airport to Terminal 4. The train will travel over a 100-foot bridge large enough for a 747 jetliner to pass underneath. Deb Ostreicher, Sky Harbor spokeswoman, says it is the only mass transit bridge in the world built over an active airport taxiway.

DEB OSTREICHER: We were looking for the most efficient customer service friendly system that we could build at the most economical price. By going over this taxiway and making this direct connection between the east economy lot and the Terminal 4 area, this is something that worked the very best.

MACIAS: By 2020, Sky Train will service all the airport terminals and the car rental garage west of the airport. This will replace the bus shuttles that move passengers around Sky Harbor. Ostreicher says no tax dollars were used to build Sky Train. The $1.5 billion project was paid for by airport fees and bonds.